This invention relates to a connector using a flexible printed circuit board for use in electric or electronic appliances such as thin type plasma displays or televisions, notebook personal computers and the like, and more particularly to a dust-proof connector.
In general, connectors for use in mobile phones, charge coupled device (CCD) cameras and the like are much thinner and having contacts arranged in extremely narrow pitches (so-called lighter and more compact connector). A connector of one type mainly comprises a housing and contacts, and a flexible printed circuit board is inserted into the housing to bring the circuit board into contact with contact portions of the contacts (so-called “non-zero-insertion force (NZIF)” type). Moreover, another type connector mainly comprises a housing, contacts and a slider so that a flexible printed circuit board is embraced between the housing and the slider (so-called “zero-insertion force (ZIF)” type and “piano touch” type). Various methods may be envisioned for holding a flexible printed circuit board by means of the housing and the slider. In many cases, there have been constructions in which after a flexible printed circuit board has been inserted into a housing, a slider is inserted into the housing so that the circuit board is pressed against the contacts. Moreover, depending upon customer's demands or specifications and in the case that narrower pitches of contacts are desired, it may be unavoidable that connection portions of contacts should be located on the side of a fitting opening of a housing into which a flexible printed circuit board is inserted.
A housing may be usually formed with a required number of inserting holes for inserting contacts and a fitting opening into which a flexible printed circuit board is inserted.
In general, contacts each comprise a contact portion adapted to contact a flexible printed circuit board, a connection portion to be connected to a substrate or the like, and a fixed portion to be fixed to the housing. These contacts may be fixed to the housing as by press-fitting.
Exemplarily described in the following passages are “Patent Literature 1” (Japanese Patent Application Opened No. 2003-297,489), “Patent Literature 2” (Japanese Patent Application Opened No. H11-307,198/1999) and “Patent Literature 3” (Japanese Patent Application Opened No. 2004-71,160) filed by the applicant of the present application, as examples of a so-called “back lock type” of the ZIF type. Moreover, further exemplarily described are “Patent Literature 4” (Japanese Utility Model Application Opened No. H6-82,783/1994) and “Patent Literature 5” (Japanese Patent Application No. 2003-422,258) proposed and filed by the applicant of the present case, as examples of the construction adapted to lock a flexible printed circuit board.
“Patent Literature 1”
According to the ABSTRACK of the Japanese Patent Application Opened No. 2003-297,489, the object of the invention is to provide a connector having an actuator operated by a slight operating force and increasing the movement of contacts to ensure the reliable connection, and achieving miniaturization in height or reduced overall height of the connector. The actuator includes cam portions and an operating portion and is formed with undercuts between the cam portions and the operating portion, into and from which front ends of spring portions of the contacts are able to be inserted and removed. When the actuator is pivotally moved clockwise 90 degrees about a fulcrum, the cam portions cause the spring portions of the contacts and connecting springs to be elastically deformed to embrace a flexible printed circuit board between protrusions of contact portions of the contacts so that patterns of the flexible printed circuit board are connected through terminal portions of the contacts to a printed substrate. An insulator has a ceiling portion covering the contact portions of the contacts, and a guide formed below the front end of the ceiling portion for inserting the flexible printed circuit board into the connector.
“Patent Literature 2”
According to the ABSTRACT of the Japanese Patent Application Opened No. H11-307,198/1999, the invention has an object to provide a connector connecting a plurality of terminals and holding a flexible printed circuit board, which is superior in operationality and holding faculty for a printed circuit board. The connector for a printed circuit board comprises a housing having an inserting groove for a flexible printed circuit board or the like, a plurality of contacts arranged in a line so that contact portions of the contacts extend into and retract from the inserting groove, and an operating member provided pivotally movable between a connecting position and a disconnecting position and provided with a plurality of cams. When the operating member is in the connecting position, the contacts are urged with their operated portions by means of the cams so as to extend their contact portions into the inserting groove to press the terminals of the flexible printed circuit board, thereby connecting the contacts to the terminals and holding the circuit board. On the other hand, when the operating member is in the disconnecting position, the some contacts are urged with their operated portions by means of the cams so as to slightly extend their contact portions into the inserting groove to abut against the flexible printed circuit board, thereby temporarily holding the circuit board, and the remaining contacts are retracted with their contact portions from the inserting groove.
“Patent Literature 3”
According to the ABSTRACT of the Japanese Patent Application Opened No. 2004-71,160, the object of the invention is to provide a connector which is able to cause a flexible printed circuit board or flexible flat cable to be securely pressed against contact portions of contacts by means of a slider without the strength and specifications of respective parts being degraded, and is capable of achieving narrower pitches and miniaturization in height or reduced overall height of connector with superior operationality. The contacts each comprise a contact portion, a connection portion, an elastic portion and a fulcrum portion between the contact portion and the connection portion, and a pressure receiving portion extending from the elastic portion and located in a position opposite or facing to the connection portion. The contact portion, the elastic portion, the fulcrum portion and the connection portion are arranged substantially in the form of a crank. The slider is provided with urging portions continuously arranged in its longitudinal direction and is pivotally movably mounted on a housing so that the urging portions are pivotally moved between the connection portions and the pressure receiving portions of the contacts.
“Patent Literature 4”
According to the ABSTRACT of the Japanese Utility Model Application Opened No. H6-82,783/1994, this utility model has an object to provide a connector provided with a slider having claws capable of anchoring even flat cables reinforced by a rigid reinforcing plate attached to the rear side of the flat cables. In the connector including a housing having contact pins therein and formed with a fitting space into which flat cables are inserted, and a slider adapted to be inserted into and removed from the fitting space and mounted on the housing to be pivotally movable outside the housing when the slider is removed therefrom, and the slider being forced into the fitting space after the flat cables have been inserted into the fitting space so that the flat cables are electrically connected to the contact pins, the slider is provided on its flat cable abutting surface with anchoring protrusions adapted to be inserted and anchored in anchoring portions formed in both the flat cables and the reinforcing plate attached to rear faces of the flat cables.
“Patent Literature 5”
Japanese Patent Application No. 2003-422,258 was proposed and filed by the applicant of the present case as a connector capable of locking a flexible printed circuit board. This invention has an object to provide a connector achieving a required holding force for a flexible printed circuit board without any defective or failed connection even if the number of contacts is minimal. In the connector into which a flexible printed circuit board is detachably inserted, including a required number of contacts having a contact portion to contact a flexible printed circuit board, and a housing holding and fixing the contacts therein and having a fitting opening into which the flexible printed circuit board is inserted, the flexible printed circuit board is provided with anchoring portions, and locking members having an engaging portion engaging the anchoring portion are mounted on the housing so that the engaging portions of the locking members are caused to engage the anchoring portions of the flexible printed circuit board, thereby preventing the circuit board from being dislodged from the housing, and further grooves are provided at locations corresponding to the engaging portions to ensure more reliable locking of the locking members.
On proceeding of miniaturization of electric and electronic appliances in recent years, the requirement for miniaturization has put more severe pressure on connectors to be used in such appliances, with the result that the connectors have also been further miniaturized. With such a miniaturization of the connectors, it has been publicly effected to expose upper surfaces of contacts (particularly on the tail side of the contacts) in order to acquire a space sufficient to operate a pivoting member such as an actuator or slider. However, the exposure of the contacts may detract from the dust proofing property even in the case that the miniaturization of connector is not required depending upon its intended use. The deterioration in dust proofing property may lead to failed or defective connection.
It is also required to insert a flexible printed circuit board into a connector with a slight force as far as possible. It is further required to visually ascertain whether a flexible printed circuit board has been completely fitted in a connector.